22 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 16-No. 2 



reveal other rare species that seem to select 



such remote and secluded sections in which to 



breed and rear tlieir young. 



11'. C. Briiwni-U, M. I). 

 So. Lyon, Mich. 



What is the Best Method of Keep- 

 ing a Field Note-book? 



The reading of Mr. White's experience (Dec. 

 O. & O.) witli the "Batchelder method" for 

 recording the numbers of birds observed leads 

 me to make a few remarks on keeping a field 

 note-book. 



For the purpose for whicli it is intended, Mr. 

 Batchelder's method is a good one. I am 

 using it and find it so, though I have ad<led to 

 it a locality and weather column. By tliis 

 means one knows at a glance whether tlie day's 

 observations were made in his garden at home, 

 or in some local grove or swamp; thus account- 

 ing tor the mention of such species as are of 

 local distribution, or which make their appear- 

 ance on the approach of storms or vice versa. 



But it is of your note-book proper, of wliicli 

 I wish to speak. Some use a page with col- 

 umns for each item, but I liave found this im- 

 practicable. Others use what is known as the 

 " slip method," the advantages of which I di^ 

 not know. (Let us hear from those who have 

 adt>pted it.) 



I have found a plain i>age, with an index 

 column on the margin, to suit me best. It 

 may be of foolscap size or smaller, for tlie 

 pocket, if you wish. Tlie latter lias tlie addi- 

 tional advantage of being always with you. In 

 point of fact, mine is seven intdies long by four 

 inches in width. When open tliis forms a 

 double page, eight inches long by seven inches 

 wide, a two-inch index column being ruleci off 

 at the right. At the left hand upper corner 

 of each page is placed the name of tlie month 

 and year, followed by the name of tlie locality. 

 The date of each record is also placed at the 

 left, at the begiui.ing of each day"s observa- 

 tions, all being underlined to facilitate the eye 

 in glancing down the page. Each book con- 

 sists of six sheets stitched together and car- 

 ried ill a detachable cover. This is light and 

 will not wear the pocket, is more easily kejit 

 clean, and is about the right size if yon wish 

 to bind them in the future. 



To illustrate the method, if you w ere collect- 

 ing at Denver, a page in your note-book might 

 read as follows: 



May, 1890. Dknver, Col. 



May I. Went down the Platte to I'latte ami 



Cltur (_'r. 

 the mouth of Clear Cr. and up 



the latter for a mile or more. 



A few clouds still linger in the Weather 



sky — the remains of last night's 



shower, with just wind enough 



to make comfortable walking. 



Vegetation has made quite a Flora 



start since we were last here; 



the cottonwoods generally are Popnlus 



, ... ... ' ^, atiKulata, 



now covered with catkins — the etal. 



S flowers of a purple color, the 



9 a pale green. 



As we enter the woods we l"icap. hud- 

 , , , . _ , , sonica 



hear the warning cry of the 



ever-present Magpie, and from 



])revious records we know that 



they are nesting. 



Their bulky nests are con- 

 spicuous objects in every grove 

 at all times, but much more so 

 now that the trees are leafless. 



We select one some ten feet 

 from the ground and climb ii]i, 

 to find a set of 7 eggs .already 

 well incubated. We see jier- 

 liaps a dozen ( — 2-1 $ 9 ) pairs 

 in our .5-niile trip. 



Far away comes w^afted on Colaiites cafi-r 

 the breeze the "look-look- 

 look" of the Ked-shafted 

 Flicker, and we fancy we can 

 hear his faint reveille on some 

 resonant limb. 



In a suiinv corner several (:1) Vanessa 



.,, 1 .1 ii- J. .. antio|ia 



willow butterflies are floating 



dreamily to and fro or resting 



with cliised wings upon the 



trunks of trees and bushes. 



The air is full of minute i>i|itua 



winged insects, probably D'qi- 

 tera. As we cross a stretch of 

 sand a score of brilliant tiger 

 beetles run before us, or if hard 

 pressed take to wing, only to 

 alight again several rods ahead. 



On our return we climb the 



bluff and take a short cut across 



the plains to regain the Platte. 



We note the presence of Rpncorrinuni 

 . ni.intannm 



many Mt. lilies, their milU- 



white star flowers with a yellow 



centre being one of the eailiesi, 



as well as most delicate and 



sweet scented, wild tloweis of 



the ]ilains. 



Ciointlela 



(varV) 



